Three Best Ways to Get Lean

By

Sarah E. Needleman

Updated March 28, 2010 8:11 am ET

Just about every small business can use a little extra cash flow these days.

Nancy F. Koehn, an entrepreneurial historian at the Harvard Business School, says owners commonly look to boost their bottom line by laying off staff. But this isn't always a wise a strategy because it can mean losing out on opportunities to service new customers, she warns.